Use a screen reader to create a new document in a document library in SharePoint Online

You can use keyboard shortcuts and a screen reader to create new documents in a SharePoint Online document library, where you can easily share documents with your team.

Notes

SharePoint Online is a web-based application, so the keyboard shortcuts and navigation may differ from those in the on-premises product (SharePoint Server). Learn more about the differences among SharePoint products and technologies.

When you use SharePoint Online, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer as your web browser. Learn more about Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts, and Learn more about SharePoint Online keyboard shortcuts.

Some functionality in SharePoint Online is introduced gradually to organizations that have opted in to the First Release program. Those organizations that are not in the First Release program or are not using the “modern” view in SharePoint document libraries may see a different user interface than what is described in this topic.

To complete the steps in this topic, you need to allow pop-ups for your Office 365 website. Learn more about changing security and privacy settings in Internet Explorer.

This topic assumes that JAWS users have turned off the Virtual Ribbon Menu feature.

Create a new document

Sign in to your organization’s Office 365 account, start the SharePoint app, and then open your document library.

Tip: Document libraries in SharePoint Online have two different views: classic and modern. For most people, modern is the default. However, if you hear “Check it out button” when navigating your document library, you’re using the classic view. To view modern document libraries, when you hear “Check it out button,” press Enter. After the view of your document library changes to the modern view and the focus moves from the Check it out button to the New link, you hear the name of your document library, followed by “New.”

When you open a library in the modern view, the focus is on the New button. You hear “New, Create a new folder or Office document in this location, Use the Left or Right Arrow keys to navigate and the Enter key to activate, Submenu, To move through the items, press Up or Down Arrow.” (In Narrator, you hear “Menu item, Status.”)

Tip: If the focus is not on the New button, press the Tab key until you hear the library name and either “Leaving Menus” or “Menu, New, Create a new folder or Office document in this location, Use the Left or Right Arrow keys to navigate and the Enter key to activate, Submenu, To move through the items, press Up or Down Arrow.” (In Narrator, you hear “Menu item, Status.”)

To open the menu, press Enter.

Press the Down Arrow key until you hear the name of the Office application, and then press Enter.

A new document opens. You hear “New, Create a new folder or Office document in this location, Use the Left or Right Arrow keys to navigate and the Enter key to activate, Submenu.” (In Narrator, you hear “Menu item, Status”)

Create a document. Your Office document is automatically saved. The name of the document is Document number.

To exit, press Alt+F and then press the Down Arrow key until you hear “Exit.” Press Enter. If you’re using JAWS, the window closes.

If you’re using Narrator, the Do you want to close all tabs or the current tab? dialog box opens.

Press the Right Arrow key. You hear “Close current tab.”

Press Enter. Your document is closed, and the focus returns to the library.